A Place Set For You
by superlc529
Summary: "There's a place set for you." "But you didn't know I was coming, why would you set me a place?" "Oh, because we always do." - The Ponds aren't the only companions who have a place set for the Doctor. One-Shot.


A/N: I don't own Doctor Who. This is my first dive into the Who-niverse and I hope I do it justice. This idea has been niggling at me to write since after _The Angels Take Manhattan_ aired. I think it's a sweet idea and I hope you guys enjoy it and let me know what you think.

And thanks to **Dobby's Socks** for her help in me phrasing the summary of this and giving me the courage to write/post Doctor Who fanfiction. If you haven't been reading her Doctor Who stories, you are missing out big time! After you're done reading this, go over to her profile and read. You won't regret it. :)

Okay, without further delay, here is: _A Place Set For You_.

* * *

A Place Set For You

"Where are we going this time, Doctor?" Clara asked popping her head around the monitor so the Doctor could see her.

He just smiled and did his dance around the console, hitting buttons and levers. Within a moment they landed and the Doctor gestured to the doors with his eyes.

"Another planet?" Clara looked hopeful.

"Open the doors," the Doctor replied.

She readily whipped open the TARDIS' doors and her shoulders shrank with disappointment when she saw they were in front of an ordinary house on what looked like just plain old Earth, "Not another planet then."

"Nope," the Doctor stepped out of the TARDIS, closing the doors, with Clara right in front of him, "I wanted you to meet somebody."

"Who is it?" Clara asked.

The Doctor wordlessly just walked ahead and knocked on the door of the house. Clara followed silently. If the Doctor thought this place was worth a stop, whoever was on the other side of the door would be worth meeting.

The door opened and Clara and the Doctor were greeted by a woman with a mess of beautiful blonde curls, "Hello, sweetie."

"Hello, dear," the Doctor smiled and leaned in to give his wife a chaste kiss on the lips. She smiled into it. He turned to his left, "Do you know Clara?"

"Yes, but she doesn't know me yet, do you?" River smiled cryptically.

Clara's face was one of pure confusion, "Hello?"

"Come inside, I've got a kettle on," River gestured into her house. She had just acquired it after the pardon she got from Stormcage. The Doctor and Clara nodded their acceptance and went inside.

"Um, not to be rude or anything, but who exactly are you?" Clara couldn't keep the question inside. Clara took a seat in the middle of the couch as the Doctor took the right side.

"I see you've been talking about me non-stop then, sweetie," River said sarcastically to her guilty husband who had a jammy dodger raised to his open mouth. She took pity on the young girl and answered, "I'm his wife: River Song."

"Didn't know he was married," Clara shook her head, "Though being a thousand years old, I'd be more surprised if he wasn't… he'd be a bit of an old bachelor."

"I like her," River laughed.

Clara looked around, admiring the interior of the house and noticed the dining table was set for two, "Were you expecting us?"

"Hmm?" River turned her head to her.

"Were you expecting company?" Clara repeated, "There's another place setting on the table."

"Oh, I always have a place set for him," River brushed her hand over the Doctor's shoulder as she passed him to the table. "I'll set you a place, Clara."

"Thank you," Clara got up, "Actually, let me help you."

The Doctor sat frozen in place on the couch as a memory washed over him.

"_Mr. Pond! Guess who's coming for dinner?" Amy shouted for her husband as she leaned out of the bear-hug with her best friend._

_Rory came into view as Amy continued laughing, "Whoa, you're not dead then."_

"_We've done that," Amy told him._

"_Oh, okay," Rory nodded._

"_We're about to have Christmas dinner," Amy said, "Joining us?"_

"_If it's no trouble," the Doctor's voice went up._

"_There's a place set for you," Rory said._

"_But you didn't know I was coming, why would you set me a place?" the Doctor didn't understand._

"_Oh, because we always do," Amy told him like it was the most obvious thing in the world._

"You coming, sweetie?" River called from the other end of the room, pulling him out of his thoughts.

"Coming, dear," the Doctor got up. A whisper of a smile for his best friends graced his lips as he joined his wife and companion.

* * *

Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart sat back in his chair listening to the sounds of life around him in the park area of his nursing home. He breathed in deeply, enjoying the fresh air. He opened his eyes when he heard a familiar voice.

"Brigadier?"

He turned around and smiled at his guest, "Sarah Jane, how many times do I have to tell you that you can call me Alistair?"

"You'll always be the Brigadier to me," Sarah Jane smiled.

"What brings you to my neck of the woods?" the Brigadier asked as she took a seat next to him.

"Just felt like a visit," Sarah Jane replied, "Do I have to have a reason?"

"No, I suppose not," the Brigadier smiled.

"I saw him again," Sarah Jane stated.

"The Doctor?" the Brigadier asked but knew the answer.

Sarah Jane nodded, "He did it again."

"What's the old boy look like now?" the Brigadier asked as he leaned forward to take a sip of his brandy.

"Young," Sarah Jane replied, "I swear, he just keeps getting younger and younger with each new face."

"If only, eh?" the Brigadier smiled, gesturing to his face.

"Oh, stop it," Sarah Jane chided him, "You look wonderful… The Doctor has a mop of light brown hair now, wears tweed and a bow tie."

"Bow tie? Sounds like him when I first met him," the Brigadier smiled, a ghost of a memory passing over his eyes of the short man he first met in the London Underground all those years ago.

Sarah Jane Smith couldn't help but smile along with her old friend. The Doctor was always changing his face but he was always the same man to them… their friend.

A nurse passed by the two friends and the Brigadier turned around to stop her, "Oh, nurse?"

"Yes, sir?" the nurse raised her eyebrows expectantly.

"Would you mind pouring an extra brandy?" the Brigadier asked. The nurse nodded and went on her way to do as he asked. The old UNIT commander turned back around to face Sarah Jane Smith and with a knowing twinkle in his eye and smile on his lips, he said, "Just in case any of the old boys decide to pop in."

* * *

Her arms could barely hold on to the grocery bags as she made her way into her flat. Finally, after maneuvers any contortionist might be proud of, she set all the grocery bags down on to a table by the door. Tossing her keys into a bowl, she turned around and called out for her fiancé, "John? John are you here?"

"Over here, Rose," John Noble called from the lounge. His legs were spread across the couch as he laid the book he was reading on his chest.

"You better help with the cooking tonight, mister," Rose lifted his legs up, swinging them to the side as she sat on the other end of the couch, "Just getting the groceries was hell… I swear everybody must've decided to go shopping at the same time."

"Don't I always help?" John asked.

"Help being a relative term," Rose grinned, "Supervising and telling me how fine to cut vegetables and how long to keep something boiling isn't really helping."

"Okay, I'll help more," John smiled. He set down his glasses he adopted from his doppelganger and closed the book, making a mental note of where he left off.

"By helping more, do you mean laying the table for us?" Rose asked, knowing full well what he meant. She loved him, but sometimes she could just smack him.

"Precisely," John smiled that big grin of his and leapt up from the couch. Rose couldn't help but smile at his retreating form into the kitchen. Even after five years, she couldn't quite get used to seeing him in casual clothes – a t-shirt and jeans. She wasn't complaining mind you. They fit him wonderfully.

John came back out of the kitchen holding three plates. Rose furrowed her brows, checking her phone, "Is mum coming to dinner? She didn't leave me a message."

"No," John shook his head as he placed all three plates down on the table. "I just thought that seeing that we've been together for nearly five years, it'd be appropriate to have a place set for him… just sort of a symbolic thing. After all, he's the reason we're together."

"Very sweet. I love it. A place set for the Doctor," Rose smiled.

* * *

Squeals of children's laughter sounded through the backyard as they ran around playing tag. Their parents sat comfortably in lawn chairs watching them enjoying the beautiful day. Next thing they knew, a knock came from the gate and a man's head popped out from behind it.

"Uncle Jack!" the kids yelled and took a running leap toward the immortal man. Mickey Smith and Martha Smith-Jones came up behind their children to greet their friend.

"Jenny, John, don't squeeze so hard," Martha chided playfully, "You don't want to squeeze him to death."

"It'd be a fine way to go," Jack played along with a smile. John and Jenny let go of the immortal man and let their parents greet him.

"What brings you our way, Captain Cheesecake?" Mickey asked going into a hug with the Captain.

"Just felt like dropping in on old friends, Mickey Mouse," Jack shrugged his shoulders and moved into hug Martha which she readily returned.

"Well, it's wonderful to see you, Jack," Martha smiled. "Would you like to come inside and have some tea? We were just about to have some."

"Sure," Jack nodded and they made their way back into the house.

Mickey shouted back out to their kids, "Five more minutes, you two."

Wordlessly, the three adults entered the house. Jack took a seat on a chair. Martha sat next to him on the couch while Mickey started to heat up the water for tea.

"Your twins are getting big," Jack commented.

"Almost three and a half now," Martha nodded. "So, what have you been doing with yourself, Jack? Still freelancing?"

"Eh, now and then," Jack shrugged his shoulder, "Do you two miss it?"

"Now and then," Martha echoed.

"Have you seen the boss lately?" Mickey came over and sat down next to his wife.

"No," Jack shook his head. "Have you?"

Mickey and Martha shook their heads. Jack spoke his fears, "Do you think he's okay?"

"He's still out there," Martha nodded, "I know it. He's still out there saving worlds and fighting monsters… I don't think he has much time to visit the old team."

Jack looked down to the coffee table and saw three cups sitting there, "Were you actually expecting me to visit today?"

"What?" Mickey wasn't following.

"You've got three cups out already," Jack gestured to said cups.

"Oh, no… it wasn't meant for you," Martha shook her head, "It's silly really."

"What?" Jack was at a loss now, but completely curious.

"Even though we know he doesn't have much time for visiting, around the time I was pregnant with Jenny and John, we started setting a place for the Doctor," Martha said, "Just in case."

"Well, I'll go and get another cup then," Jack got up, "Just in case…"

* * *

Four loud knocks rapped against the door. The door opened and the young couple was greeted with a big smile from the man who opened it.

"Donna, sweetheart," Wilfred Mott wrapped his granddaughter in a bear-hug, "Come in, come in… you too, Shaun. Let me take your coats."

Shaun Temple and Donna Temple-Noble came inside the house as Wilf took their coats. Sylvia Noble appeared into view, "You two arrived just in time. Dinner's ready."

"Now, tell me, how have you two been getting on?" Wilf asked as he took a seat at the table, ready for dinner to be served. Donna took a seat next to her grandfather and her husband took a seat across from his wife.

"Not much really…," Donna started and before Wilf could reply, Donna continued, "Except I finally got a permanent job as a secretary for a doctor's office."

"Congratulations, dear," Sylvia entered the dining room just in time to hear the news.

"A doctor's office, eh?" Wilf asked.

"I know! Imagine me in a doctor's office," Donna shook her head, "I don't know what it is, but I sort of feel complete there. No more temping for me," Donna smiled, serving herself a plateful of food and passing it along to Shaun. Sylvia took a seat next to him.

"You know, Donna, I can't tell you how proud I am that you continue to work even with the winnings from the lottery," Shaun said as he passed the food along to Wilf who in turn handed it over to his daughter across the table.

"There's no keeping this girl down," Donna proclaimed.

Forks and knives clacked against plates for a moment before Shaun broke the comfortable silence, "Mr. Mott?"

"Eh?" Wilf looked up, "How many times do I have to tell you, Shaun, you can call me Wilf."

"Sorry, force of habit," Shaun apologized, "I was just wondering… That is, I've always meant to ask, how come there's always an extra place setting whenever we come over for dinner?"

"It's for his old war buddy," Donna answered for him as she finished chewing her food.

"Old war buddy?" Shaun asked.

"Yeah, isn't that right, Gramps?" Donna turned to her grandfather. "That's what you said… John Something-or-Other…"

"Yeah, the place is set for an old war buddy of mine," Wilf nodded, thinking of the Doctor.

"Was he killed in battle?" Shaun asked innocently, not realizing the weight of the words behind his question.

Wilf looked to his daughter who gave him a sad, empathetic smile. He looked back to Shaun and half-nodded, "Don't really know… but I like to keep a place set for him. It's the wishful thinking of an old man."

"That's very sweet, Wilf," Shaun smiled, "I hope he's still out there."

"Yeah," Wilf nodded sadly and glanced out the window at the setting sun. It would be getting dark soon enough. He looked to his granddaughter, chatting away and laughing with her husband, and smiled. He had made a promise and he'd continue to keep it.

* * *

_You lured me in with your cold grey eyes  
Your simple smile and your bewitching lies  
One and one and one is three  
My bad, bad Angel, the Devil and me!  
You put the Devil in me...  
You put the Devil in me!  
You put the Devil in me!_

"Catchy song," Rory commented as he turned the radio off, "It's nice to hear something other than Christmas carols."

"It is Christmas, Rory," Amy told him from her seat at the typewriter.

"Yeah, I know," Rory nodded and came behind her, "It just seems that the only songs they've been playing on the radio lately have been Christmas carols and it can get tiresome."

"Stop your whining," Amy continued typing, "Just because you miss your Wii."

"Not just the Wii… telly in general actually," Rory sighed. "You don't know what you've got until it's gone."

He massaged his wife's shoulders and headed over to the dining room of their flat. He started to lay the table. The flat was filled of noises of Rory setting down plates and the clacking of keys on Amy's typewriter.

"Well, it should be invented soon enough, I think," Amy cut the silence, still typing away, "Wasn't it invented in the 40s or something?"

"It's been invented already actually," Rory told her as he finished laying the table and walked back over to Amy, "It's just not available commercially yet."

"Well, when it's available commercially, we'll just have to buy one, yeah?" Amy looked up at her husband, finally pausing in her typing.

"Just imagine the prices," Rory joked, trying to put a little levity into the situation. They had been in the past for nearly a year now, it was almost 1940, but sometimes they liked to kid about the future.

"Well, you'll be a doctor soon," Amy said, "We'll be able to afford it."

"And you'll be a best-selling author," Rory continued to massage her shoulders, "Come and have Christmas dinner, Mrs. Williams… your _Summer Falls_ can wait a little while."

"I am getting a little hungry," Amy looked thoughtful. She started to get up and her husband followed her into the dining room, "I never thought I'd miss spell-check… never really realized how much I used it."

"But I think we've adapted to life in the past fairly well, haven't we?" Rory pulled out the chair for Amy before she took a seat and he followed suit.

Amy smiled up at him, "Yeah."

She looked over at the extra place setting Rory set on the table, "You set a place for the Doctor?"

"Force of habit," Rory said, "Do you want me to…"

"No," Amy shook her head, "No, I want to keep doing it. It's Christmas."

"Happy Christmas, Mrs. Williams," Rory raised a glass to her.

"Happy Christmas, Mr. Pond," Amy smiled. They gave each other a knowing look and in sync, they turned to the empty spot at the table and raised their glasses to it.

"Love you, Doctor," Amy and Rory whispered, a silent single tear making its way down their cheeks.

"Always," Amy finished.

THE END

A/N: Did you guys like it? Yay or Boo? I hope you guys enjoyed it! I wanted to have a taste of both New and Classic Who in there and I hope I did everybody justice. Please let me know what you thought! And if you think I should continue to write Doctor Who stories… I was planning on it. ;) :)


End file.
